Open United Nations e-discussion on global public health

An e-discussion on global public health is being organized jointly by the Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with WHO.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)'s Annual Ministerial Review will focus on "Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to global public health" in its session in July 2009. The e-discussions will provide background to this Review.

The moderated online forum will bring together experts in the field, from within and outside of the UN system, to discuss:

strengthening health systems, in particular how to overcome health inequities and ensure universal access, and what concrete steps can be taken to address the shortage of health-care workers (Part I: 29 January - 11 February); and